The director said the movie set him on a journey to create more inspirational stories from around the world, including Pineda’s.

“This story, in particular, has been on my mind since I first read about it years ago. A true fairy tale and [a] triumph of the human spirit,” Chu told Deadline.

He added: “An unlikely hero, an undeniable talent, the power of music and a worldwide stage [it] (literally) has (sic) all the ingredients I love about movies. Plus I have been a fan of Journey’s music since I can remember.”

Before Crazy Rich Asians, Chu directed other Hollywood films such as Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, Now You See Me 2, Step Up 2: The Streets, and G.I. Joe: Retaliation.

“I am excited to be bringing the audience along on this incredible story with my partners at Warner Bros who have been a leading champion of diverse voices in front and behind the camera,” he told Deadline.

The Deadline article added that the studio is negotiating to license the original Journey songs which were mostly written by Perry and Schon.